Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan decoded the heated exchange between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) opener Virat Kohli and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) overseas recruit Travis Head in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 game on May 22. Pathan said that Kohli likes to play the game in a way Australians do. He pointed out that Kohli called Head an impact player. While he understands the on-field aggression, he does not agree with Kohli ignoring his former RCB teammate Head during customary post-match handshake.
"Yes, I was doing commentary at that time. Look, Virat also likes to play cricket the way the Australians do. Little banter, little aggression, little talk of 'okay, come down and bowl some deliveries.' That's what he was saying, "You are not an Impact Player." Generally, he is an Impact Player, and he goes out of the field. He asked him to bowl, something happened, and he was calling him as well. Look what happened after the game. I am not going to talk much about it. But what happened on the field, it's okay, it happens. You want to play aggressively, you want to wear your heart on the sleeve and that little banter, little aggression," Pathan said on JioHotstar.
"This could be avoided," he added.
The banter started early in the innings when Kohli hit SRH skipper Pat Cummins for a couple of boundaries. Head signalled that the pacer should bowl outside off-stump, inducing an outside edge. Later, when Head had a go at Venkatesh Iyer, Kohli replied. He gestured impact player as Head often plays that role. He then asked the Australian part-time off-spinner to come and bowl. Kohli was dismissed by Sakib Hussain with a slower one.
Head gets Patidar’s wicket
Head bowled his first over of the ongoing IPL season in the 19th over. The off-spinner dismissed RCB skipper Rajat Patidar on the second ball he bowled, his first IPL wicket since 2017 when he had dismissed current skipper Cummins. He conceded just seven runs from the over. RCB ended up losing the match by 55 runs as they lacked in the intent in the run chase of 256 at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad.